Our 2008 textbook, Gallagher's Teaching Science for Understanding, focuses on planning units that take into account accepted learning goals such as National Science Education Standards or The Rhode Island GSEs.
Teachers often sketch out their unit before beginning to planning in detail. Here are "planning grid" representations. The first is for a "traditional" unit that in this case addresses 5 topics and spans ten days. The second is a "project-based" unit that addresses 5 topics in 15 days.
Developing Lesson Plans
RI Lesson Planning Guidelines- This page has the slides from the Rhode Island Department of Education on using their lesson plan template.
Organizing Instruction
Organizing for Learning is a document produced by What Works on Education about Instruction.
Differentiating Instruction
According to the ASCD Learning Lexicon, differentiating instruction is a form of instruction that seeks to "maximize each student's growth by meeting each student where she is and helping the student to progress. In practice, it involves offering several different learning experiences in response to students' varied needs. Learning activities and materials may be varied by difficulty to challenge students at different readiness levels, by topic in response to students' interests, and by students' preferred ways of learning or expressing themselves."
Resources for Differentiating Instruction A collection of DI links from Internet4Classrooms.com. Page contains links to sites on instructional theory, practical tips for the classroom, sample units and lessons, and "multi-link" sites which contain ready-to-use Word, PowerPoint, or PDF documents.
Assessment
Assessment, along with teaching strategies and curriculum, is a critical element of instruction. The ASCD Learning Lexicon describes assessment as measuring the learning and performance of students or teachers. Different types of assessment instruments include achievement tests, minimum competency tests, developmental screening tests, aptitude tests, observation instruments, performance tasks, and authentic assessments." These are resources that will help you understand and apply high-quality assessment strategies in your teaching.
Developing Unit Plans
Developing Lesson Plans
Organizing Instruction
Differentiating Instruction
According to the ASCD Learning Lexicon, differentiating instruction is a form of instruction that seeks to "maximize each student's growth by meeting each student where she is and helping the student to progress. In practice, it involves offering several different learning experiences in response to students' varied needs. Learning activities and materials may be varied by difficulty to challenge students at different readiness levels, by topic in response to students' interests, and by students' preferred ways of learning or expressing themselves."Assessment
Assessment, along with teaching strategies and curriculum, is a critical element of instruction. The ASCD Learning Lexicon describes assessment as measuring the learning and performance of students or teachers. Different types of assessment instruments include achievement tests, minimum competency tests, developmental screening tests, aptitude tests, observation instruments, performance tasks, and authentic assessments." These are resources that will help you understand and apply high-quality assessment strategies in your teaching.Teaching Resources